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Pay raises for cabinet secretaries insults the unemployed, teachers, state employees and Wake County taxpayers

RALEIGH–Progress North Carolina today called on Gov. Pat McCrory to either rescind pay raises for his cabinet secretaries, or promise to veto legislation which cuts insurance benefits for the unemployed. If McCrory is going to offer pay raises of as much as 10.8% for his cabinet secretaries, he should also promise to offer and sign a budget with matching percentage raises for state employees and public school teachers.

According to the News & Observer, McCrory has boosted the salaries of his cabinet appointees from anywhere between $6,000 to $13,000 extra per year. Previously, Cabinet secretaries had to get by on a paltry $121,807 per year.

“I’m trying to make it at least where they can afford to live while running multi-billion departments,” McCrory told the N&O.

These raises for political appointees come on the heels of a Republican plan to cut unemployment insurance by about 35% for people struggling to find work. The maximum benefit would be reduced from $535 a week to $350. Earlier this week, McCrory told the News & Record that he supported the unemployment plan.

“So what is it Gov. McCrory?” asked Gerrick Brenner, Executive Director of Progress North Carolina. “How much does it take to ‘afford to live?’ For the political cronies in your cabinet, $120,000 is not enough. But for the unfortunate casualties of our struggling economy $350 a week–the equivalent of $18,200 a year– is plenty?” “McCrory needs to come up with a better plan for unemployment insurance–one that does not cut benefits from those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own.”

According to the N&O, cabinet pay went up an average of 8%. When is the last time teachers or state employees got an 8% pay hike? New Transportation Secretary Tony Tata is getting a 10.8% raise.

“Does Gov. McCrory really think Tony Tata needs a 10% salary bump?” Brenner asked. “Tata got a $250,000 severance package from the Wake County Public Schools just four months ago, after he was fired after presiding over a school bus transportation fiasco.”